Life on Earth
by Jaye Reid
Summary: Every choice you make has an end result.


Title: Life on Earth  
  
By Jaye Reid  
  
Commenced: September 2, 2003  
  
Completed: September 3, 2003  
  
Rating: PG13 - for language  
  
Spoilers: Life on Mars - Post Ep.   
  
Disclaimer: Owned by the brilliant Sorkin and WB. Not mine, never will be. I have no money, therefore I'm not worth suing. Borrowed for my own amusement.  
  
Category: Josh & Hoynes centric - totally hetro. - Angst. - slight J/D mention  
  
Summary: "Every choice you make has an end result."   
  
Archiving: "Boulevard of Misdirection"  
  
http://users.mcmedia.com.au/~jayereid/jldmmain.htm  
  
The National Library and Fanfiction.net  
  
Authors Notes: Just loved the way Josh reacted to the drama's with the VP's predicament. As they had known each other for a long time, I figured they might actually have a chat about it all at some stage. I haven't written many post eps, and this one might seem like it is late to the party... but this was the eppy that was shown in my part of the world this week.  
  
***  
  
"Mr. Vvv..."  
  
John Hoynes looked sideways from the glass in his hands and ceased swirling the liquid in it.  
  
"Josh..." he left the name hanging in the air, no more sure of what to say than his new companion at the almost deserted bar.   
  
"You ahhh..." Josh nodded towards the glass.  
  
"It's coke Josh. Straight up, no ice. Although if I ever needed an excuse, I've got one I think," John replied, returning his focus to the glass.  
  
"I always thought alcoholics didn't need an excuse to drink?" Josh asked, shaking his head at the approaching bartender.  
  
"True, we don't."  
  
"So really..." Josh started as he hoisted himself onto a stool.  
  
"I was making conversation Josh."  
  
"Yeah, 'cause like we don't have anything *else* to talk about," Josh breathed.  
  
John turned his gaze back to Josh. It was almost as if he was daring Josh to continue down that path - even though he knew from previous experience that Josh Lyman never backed down. After the male posturing, it wasn't surprising that Hoynes was the first to break the silence.  
  
"So... how did you know to find me here?"  
  
"I called your home. Suzanne... well she said..."  
  
John sighed and took a mouthful of his drink. "We thought... well Suzanne thought... I mean I don't blame her - hell - well I'm staying here at the hotel for a little while. You know, until we figure this out.   
  
"Are you going to be able to? I mean, figure this out?" Josh quizzed.  
  
"Probably not. Anyway... you tracked me down Josh. You need to tell me something?"  
  
"Mr..."  
  
"Try calling me John again Josh. Hell I don't even warrant a shadow anymore," Hoynes interrupted.  
  
Josh scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "John... honestly... what the hell man? You and Suzanne... how many years... Damn it John, how many years have you just totally fucked up? I just don't get it. You two were like... well like nothing that I can think of comparing it to other than the President and the First Lady. How could you..."  
  
"I wasn't thinking okay! I just... I don't know what the fuck I was thinking."  
  
"Well that was obvious!"  
  
"Just shut the fuck up Josh. I don't need this."  
  
"You don't need this? Yeah like Suzanne and the girls need this. Not to mention all the people who believed in you."  
  
John snorted. "Yeah, like you? Where the fuck were you when my campaign for Presidency needed you?"  
  
"Getting the President elected. It wasn't your time - you weren't prepared to make the tough decisions, he was."  
  
"Well, I'm not going to get that chance now am I?"  
  
"No. And whose fault is that? You fucked this up buddy... totally and royally screwed this up."  
  
"Tell me something I don't already know?"  
  
"Christ John... what the hell happened?"  
  
"I don't know. Blame it on a mid-life crisis? I was played? Set up? I was thinking back today about the time I spent with Helen... you know I don't honestly know what - why. She stroked my ego as well as my - ah never mind. She made me feel like I was the most important guy in this town. And now I don't know whether she really meant it or whether it was just that damn easy to get me to do and say whatever she wanted."  
  
Josh shook his head. "I'm just so damn..."  
  
"Pissed with me, yeah, I get that."  
  
"No, Disappointed. I mean I used to look at you and Suzanne... you guys were just so - together."  
  
"We were."  
  
"Then what the hell went wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."  
  
"Then..."  
  
"I know... I know... I made a mess of it... Everything was okay with my marriage... I guess I was just greedy. I... I just... I threw away the most important thing... I didn't realize what I was losing until... well, it's gone now. I don't think we're going to survive this."  
  
Josh took a long look at the man sitting beside him and his mood softened.  
  
"She... Suzanne won't consider..."  
  
"She wants out. She says she won't be able to trust me again. It's all over."  
  
"Shit... I'm sorry man. You guys were, well yeah..."  
  
"We lasted longer than you and Mandy," he scoffed.  
  
Josh shook his head with a wry smirk, "That wouldn't have been hard though."  
  
"No it wouldn't have been. Shit... what am I going to do, Josh?"  
  
"Well, I'm sure you can always get a job..."  
  
"No... what am I going to do without Suzanne? Christ I totally fucked this up," Hoynes uttered exasperatedly as he closed his eyes and raised his face to the ceiling. "What am I going to do? I can't imagine what it's going to be like without her and the girls around all the time."  
  
"Honestly... I don't know what to say. I've never been in a relationship that ended where I was really in love with someone so much," Josh shrugged.  
  
"Yeah well... I guess this is something I have to figure out for myself."  
  
"Are you going to be okay? I mean tonight..."  
  
Hoynes snorted again. "Sorry Josh, I may be single again, but you're just not my type."  
  
"Funny guy. You know what I mean... you're going to be okay? If not, you know, I could crash on your sofa..."  
  
"I'm not going to have a drink Josh."  
  
"Or do anything else?" Josh questioned softly. "Believe me, I have some experience in doing stupid things at low points of my life."  
  
"Yeah I know you have. But it's not glass I can hear shattering."  
  
"So you'll..."  
  
"I'll be okay, Josh. Thanks for asking, but I'll be fine."  
  
"Only if you're sure."  
  
"Yeah, like you'd be the ideal babysitter for me anyway," John chuckled.  
  
"Well I'd have Donna as a back up so you'd probably be okay. And speaking of which, I have to get back to the office. I've got her going over some reports for me. We've probably got a few hours worth of arguments over what I think should be included in comparison to what she wants," Josh offered as he slipped from the bar stool.  
  
"She's one of the good things you gained when you left my campaign those years ago to join the Bartlet crusade. Don't let her go," John offered in advice.  
  
"Don't intend to," Josh smiled, patting Hoynes on the shoulder. "Don't be a stranger."  
  
"Don't lose track of Suzanne and the girls," Hoynes instructed, grabbing Josh by the shoulder. "We've all known each other for too long. Don't think I'm going to be pissed if you keep in touch with them as well. It's not their fault. This is mine."  
  
"Okay... just look after yourself. Call me if you need to."  
  
"You too. I'm thinking I should go and use that Law degree of mine."  
  
"Right... you're no more a damn lawyer than I am," Josh laughed.  
  
"Gotta do something to fill in my days," John shrugged.  
  
"Good luck," Josh offered.  
  
"Thanks, just... yeah thanks."  
  
John Hoynes watched Josh's back disappear out the door before turning signaling to the bartender with his near empty glass. By the time the guy reached him, Hoynes had swallowed the last of his drink.   
  
"Same again?"  
  
"No. I think I'll have the Bourbon straight this time."  
  
Finis. 


End file.
